Henry h



(No Model.)

- H. H. BROWN.

HEDGE LINK.

Patented Sept. 6, 1881.

NITED STATES PATENT 'Orrroaa HENRY H. BROWN, OF COLUMBUS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS C. WOODBURN, OF SAME PLACE.

HEDGE-LINK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,716, datedSeptember 6, 1881.

Application filed July 21, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. BROWN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Columbus, in the county of Bartholomew and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hedge- Links; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to means for securing in abentorplaited position the trunks,branches, or sprouts of hedges. Hitherto this has been accomplished by means of cords and wires, which are wound or bent around the branches and passed to other branches, where they are again wound or bent around them. The objection to this method and these means of accomplishing the purpose in view is, that as the branches have a natural tendency to return to their normal or upright position there is a constant strain at the point of the winding of the cord and at the point where the wire is bent around, or partly around, the branch, and said strain in a short time causes the cord or wire to be depressed into and to out the bark, thus stopping the natural flow of sap, and resulting in the death of the growth above that point, and in time the death of the entire hedge.

' The object of my invention is to provide a hedge -link which shall retain in a bent, depressed, or plaited condition the trunks or branches of a hedge without in the least affectin g its life and Vigorous growth. I attain this object by constructing a link of such shape and contour that it can retain the branches or trunks of a hedge in a depressed position without being in contact with any material portion of its exterior surface or bark, and also providing such link with means which shall retain it in position securely when once placed, and which shall not, by the swaying or swinging of the branches in the wind, eventually out said branches completely 0h", as is sometimes the case when wires are used.

My manner of constructinga link which has no portion in contact with the exterior of the branch is to so shape it that it immediately rises or curves away from the branch at the point of contact, and is then curved outwardly and downwardly in a circle larger than that of the branch, when it may be continued in a straight line for a distance and curved inwardly in like circles to the first mentioned, and terminate in an abruptly-bent portion, these curves and bends resulting in a link substantially C-shaped, or after the first-abovementioned outward and downward curves the link may be carried in a curved line to the right or left, and then may be completed as in the caseabove described, resulting in a substantially S-shaped link. very essential that the terminals of the link should be sharpened, and for the following reasons: Experience has shown that to impede the natural flow of sap in a tree or plant in time results in its death, while to make incisions in the bark of the same, such incisions being longitudinal and comparatively slight in their length and frequency, results in no material damage, and in some cases in actual I therefore sharpen the ends of my link and press them firmly into the wood of the branch, thus obtaining a sure, strong, and secure hold without materially interfering with a full and natural flow of the sap, and gaining thereby a rapid and full growth of all the sprouts, both above and below the point atwhich the link is applied.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l represents a hedge having my link applied thereto, and Figs. 2 and 3 represent, in section, two forms of links embodying my invention.

These links are preferably made of malleable iron, and are rigid and provided with straight ends a and sharpened points 11, connected by an abruptly-curved connecting portion, a. They are applied by inserting the upper sharpened end into thetop of a branch and the lower sharpened end into the bottom or lower side of the adjacent branch, as clearly shown in the drawings. The form of link shown in Fig.2 I consider the preferable form for general use.

In both cases it is Having described my invention, what I 3. Ahedge-link having the sharpened ends 10 claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters b, straight portion a, and curved connecting Patent, isportion 0, as shown and described.

1. A hedge-link having sharpened ends and In testimony whereof I have aflixed my sig- 5 curved connecting portion, as shown and denature in presence of two witnesses.

scribed. HENRY H. BROWN.

2. A hedge -1ink substantially S-shaped in Witnesses:

contour, and having sharpened ends, as shown JNO. N. MARING,

and described. GEORGE W. OWENS. 

